how to get to grand marais from duluth?

[upsidedownaaron]

hey there, sorry for the rookie question, but so far i am having a real hard time figuring out how to get to the ferry in grand marais. we will be flying into minneapolis and catching a bus to duluth.

this is kind of a once in a lifetime trip for my friend and i. we are both originally from mn/nd and i grew up doing week long canoe trips through the boundary waters. but we now live in arizona and we are finding it hard to figure out how to get to the ferry without renting a car and letting it sit for two weeks. which seems like a really bad idea.

or trying to thumb a ride.

any help will be greatly appreciated. or any other ideas. essentially we just want to get to wendigo. how we get there from minneapolis airport is up in the air.

our plan is to spend two weeks on the island. july 23rd to august 4th 2011 or thereabouts.

cheers,

aaron

[Vandy]

I'm not from the area, but perhaps the casino has a shuttle bus.

[Kevinl]

Harriet Quarles does a transportation service out of Grand Marais. She's awesome. She's given me shuttle rides along the SHT a couple times. Her contact info is here: http://www.alltimefavorites.com/v/192.htm

Good luck.

[upsidedownaaron]

Thank you so much! We will call her.

[Keweenaw]

Hi Aaron,

Just so you know - the boat leaves from Grand Portage, not Grand Marais.

Here's a blurb from the National Monument website, although I think I heard that the bus no longer operates from Duluth, but worth a call:

Bus Transportation is available from the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. For further information about bus schedules, please contact Grand Portage Lodge and Casino at: 218-475-2401.


Bob

[upsidedownaaron]

Hi Aaron,

Just so you know - the boat leaves from Grand Portage, not Grand Marais.

Here's a blurb from the National Monument website, although I think I heard that the bus no longer operates from Duluth, but worth a call:

Bus Transportation is available from the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. For further information about bus schedules, please contact Grand Portage Lodge and Casino at: 218-475-2401.


Bob

thanks bob,

i am finding some spurious signs on this here intarnetz that, that indeed is the case. no more bus. but there is a shuttle that runs from the mpls airport to the casino in duluth.

i called and spoke with harriet today. so she is a guaranteed ride, but it is about $220 each way to/from grand portage. for $160 she will drop us at grand marais, but then, yes, i have to get a bus from the casino there to grand portage. which is $2. but i am not sure how to coordinate that effectively so that we can for sure be on the ferry.

if i understand the ferry sched correctly, it looks like it only departs at 0730 on monday, wed, and sat.

just getting to the island is going to cost more than my gear. =)

so if anyone wants to tag along on the van ride from duluth on july 24th, let me know.

cheers

aaron

[Ingo]

..but it is about $220 each way to/from grand portage...

It may end up that paying for a rental car to sit isn't so bad after all. Good luck with the plans. It is hard to get to G.P. without a car. Most folks who fly will come into Houghton and take the Ranger. If that's a possibility I'd check into that also. I sympathize in any case, being in N.C. and have always driven up because of logistics, family, and gear.
It IS worth it, however you can get there!

[upsidedownaaron]

turns out i have a "facebook friend" who is a real life friend of a friend here in tucson. he just happens to live in grand marais. so hopefully i can work something out with him. this plan is starting to come together. now to just lose 40lbs....

[jerry]

I usually shed about 5 pounds at Isle Royale during my visit.

[upsidedownaaron]

well the big idea is to hike to rock harbor, spend the night at the lodge with some beer, then hike back. giving ourselves 2 weeks to do it. i am currently 225 and estimating 50lbs pack. i am no stranger to carrying a load like that (firefighter day job). but if i can get rid of 25 of those lbs before i hit the trail, i am good.

so for the last 3 days i have begun my "no white carbs" diet.... along with more werkin' out.

[Keweenaw]

i called and spoke with harriet today. so she is a guaranteed ride, but it is about $220 each way to/from grand portage. for $160 she will drop us at grand marais, but then, yes, i have to get a bus from the casino there to grand portage. which is $2.

Actually, the casino is in Grand Portage as well.

Have you priced flying in to Houghton County Airport (CMX)? The taxi from the airport to the motels next to the Ranger dock are about $8 or so or about $50 to Copper Harbor if you want to leave from there on the Queen. Then you reverse your hike.

Bob

[Mandolynn]

I thought I heard a rumor last year that the seaplane was going to add an option of flying to/from Duluth, but I don't see it on their website. Was that just a rumor, then? It sure would add options for those of us who have to fly in to our jumping off point.

[Capt Don]

I've never heard of that, and would have if it had been proposed to the park. That would have to be a very spendy travel option. Duluth is an international airport, I wonder how the TSA deals with backpacks? Even Park Point would'nt be feasible, too many weather variables and too great a distance.

[fonixmunkee]

Halp I need a ride.

If you can't get a lift from D-town to Grand Marais and back, drop me a PM and I will provide the lift myself. If you cover gas and a nominal tip (beer), that is.

[upsidedownaaron]

thank you so much. the beer is of course a given. getting an itinerary together now, and i will let you know.